How to Dress to Look Slim and Tall

First up. I don’t believe that skinny is necessarily beautiful, nor do I believe large is ugly. How to dress to look slim and tall is a blog post packed with helpful tips for those of us who do, on occasion, want to dress to look slimmer than we really are.

I believe that every size is beautiful, just as long as we are fit and healthy we must totally own our curves. 

I guess fashion dictates that slim and tall is beautiful. It’s just commercialism, though we are old enough not to need to be part of this. 

We have no good reason or need to look slimmer, but if wearing different styles can help you feel more confident because they give the illusion that you look slimmer, then I say – Go For It!

You might also like this previous post : How to Look Slimmer than you really are

and How to Dress Well if You’re Short

How to dress to look slimmer without dieting

Personally I’m not going to go on a crazy diet to look slimmer (although I have crazily done so in the past – Hello cabbage soup diet), in fact these days I follow dietician Natalie Scot’s advice for the Non-Diet Approach.

I feel much healthier and more in control of my appetite and cravings, and it feels great to say, “I don’t diet!” following Natalie’s advice.

However, there are still certain times when I’d like to look a little slimmer or taller, and so without resorting to dieting or trying to run a 1000kms a day, or go on a fast like a jockey,

I’ve very much researched ways to do this to find ways to look slimmer than I really am with very little effort on my physical part.

Old trusted favourites for looking slimmer than you really are such as wearing dark colours, vertical stripes, shapewear and the right shaped shoes all feature in this post, with many more tips still to come.

Remember that not all your clothes will make you look slimmer than you really are, and I’m a great believer that you must wear all the clothes in your wardrobe – regardless. 

Having said that, some clothes are going to do you big favours and make you look quite different, whereas other just aren’t. And that’s okay too.

Read on …

What colours make you look slimmer

All dark colours are generally good for a slimming effect. Black is the obvious go-to colour for a slimming illusion.

But navy or midnight blue, purple and brown also help hide flaws and create a slimming illusion.

How to look slimmer in Jeans

• Dark jeans will make you look longer and slimmer.
• Pale wash jeans will not help slim large thighs.
• Pair dark jeans with a dark coloured shoe or ankle boot.
• Pair lighter jeans with a white or pastel sneaker.
• Ripped jeans should be the choice of the younger generation.

You might like this previous post all about jeans: Best Jeans for your body shape

When it comes to cut – high rise jeans will make you look slimmer. They went out of fashion but for women of a certain age they should never be out of your wardrobe.

High rise means a neater waistline, a belly that gets flattened under some nice tight denim and basically many fewer lumps and bumps will show – I’m thinking of the low rise muffin top.

How to look slimmer in a dress

Generally speaking fitted dresses will do you more favours than kaftan styles or dresses which fall from a high waist.

I love Jersey Dresses with side ties and v-necks, especially those offering a little rouching across the tummy area.

I think a dress length just around the knee has a slimming effect.

If you’re tall then a fitted maxi dress will give a long lean illusion but …

Don’t wear big bulky flowing dresses

Let’s talk flowing dresses – long voluminous maxis in particular.

Truth be told, when you wear a big floppy dress, it’s not going to be flattering.

Sure it might be a gorgeous print and people will comment ‘what a lovely dress’ but it won’t flatter your body or make you look slimmer.

The dress will hang loose, make you look larger than you really are, and this style is perfectly okay for the beach or a hot summer night. 

If the dress is made of thin or delicate fabric then add a belt to create a more of an hour glass shape which will help make you look slimmer.

Fit and flare jeans and pants

When I was 12 years old I owned a midnight blue, velvet, pair of bell bottom trousers. How I loved them. Even then I knew that the style made me look taller and leaner.

These days it’s quite hard to find bell bottoms – but rest assured they will make you look taller.

If you want to give skinny jeans a rest then give bell bottoms a go. They’ll instantly add inches to your overall look.

Shoes to make your legs look longer

Wearing a knee length dress? Then wear a pointed toe court shoe. It will add the illusion of longer length to your legs.

It doesn’t have to be a ‘look-at-me-follow-me’ stiletto for a kitten heel or small wedge is fine. Just make sure the toe is pointed rather than square.

Match your shoe colour to your leg, and wear nude colour shoes, is a sure fire way to add more length.

How to dress to look slim and tall in block colours

The British Royals know that block colour works. Every time. Go for block colours when you can.

Prints are lovely and we all wear prints because they are just so pretty and alluring.

But if you want to look slimmer then wear a solid colour, especially below your waist. 

Any block colour worn from head to toe is going to make you look slimmer, create an uninterrupted vertical line, and generally speaking the darker the colour the better. 

Ultimately though don’t just stick to only black or navy because a classy beige or camel worn from head to toe looks stunning, and if you can wear white or ivory then go for that too!

Do V necks make you look slimmer?

Let’s talk necklines.

Crew necks which cut across your collar bone might be okay for T-Shirt days, but in reality they can make your boobs look bigger and your torso look wider.

A V neck is much more flattering and will draw the eye downwards, rather than outwards, thus making your overall shape look leaner.

Do stripes make you look slimmer?

I love stripes and have quite a few Breton type tops in my wardrobe; from the more flowey to fitted.

If you’re looking for answers when it comes to how to dress to look slim and tall though I’d avoid horizontal stripes.

Although I’m certainly not averse to wearing horizontal stripes I do think that vertical stripes are the winner because they can give the illusion of length, and so give the illusion that you are longer and taller.

Vertical stripes in a pair of trousers (especially if they have a high waist) can create a lovely lean-look effect when worn with a tucked in blouse. 

Can a jacket make me look slimmer?

A block coloured jacket with crisp straight lines, worn with a V Neck T-Shirt over dark jeans is a winning look when it comes to creating a slim overall outline.

To look slimmer, longer and taller it’s all about drawing the eye lengthwise.

Long statement necklaces, like a pendant necklace can be great for this. So too can mid chest bibs or glittery chandeliers that draw attention to your face and neck.

Why do you look slimmer with a tan?

Because it gives the illusion of a fit body and draws the eye away any skin blemishes like stretch marks, veins that stand out, brown spots and cellulite that distract the eye from clean longer lines of exposed arms or legs. 

For instance, you can draw attention to your legs and make them appear leaner, by applying fake tan or bronzer, and then adding some shimmer lotion to the front of your shins.

I don’t subscribe to suntans or sunbed tans, but a little fake tan whether that’s a salon spray tan or a do-it-yourself-kit each summer season doesn’t go amiss.

And don’t forget that all skin looks better from a  moisturising lotion which helps project a head to toe glow.

Try the St Tropex self tanner.

Always wear underwear that fits

Most of us wear the wrong-size bra with cups that neither lift or shape, and bands which make us bulge around our shoulders. Find the right bra and you will immediately look slimmer.

Panties that fit too snuggly create bulges and visible panty lines can disrupt clean lines making you look heftier around the bum and hips.

Always buy panties that smooth things out around your derriere region, if you’re looking for ideas about how to dress to look slim and tall.

Can shapewear make you look slimmer?

Absolutely!

Buy shape wear with extra-firm tummy control for a much leaner looking silhouette.

Of course no girl should be without some SPANX in her wardrobe.

What material makes you look slimmer?

Go for cotton, silk, denim, jersey, cashmere and other flat, rather than bulky materials, that don’t add volume.

Try any fabric with a percentage of spandex in it can help make you look slimmer.

Bulkier materials, on the other hand, like corduroy, velvet, leather, angora, mohair and taffeta can have the opposite effect – but they still have a place in your wardrobe.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed some of these tips about how to dress to look slim and tall.

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